Draft coupling



Jan. 29, 1952 R. E. HAWKINS r-:T Al.

DRAFT COUPLIN G Filed Feb. l5, 1950 I wl MN Patented Jan. 29, 1952 OFFICE DRAFT COUPLING Robert E. Hawkins and Glen E. Spaulding, Tipton, Ind.; said Hawkins assignor to said Spaulding Application February 15, 1950, Serial No. 144,256

8 Claims. l

This invention relates to coupling or hitch devices for detachably connecting a tractor to farm' equipment to be drawn thereby, such as a wagon, trailer, soil or plant, working implement or machine or the like having a conventional Vtongue equipped to cooperate with the coupling carried by the tractor.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, novel and elicient and positively operating coupling or hitch for connecting a trac-tor to a farm wagon, trailer or implement by backing the tractor into the latter at its specially equipped draft tongue and for easily unfastening, ,unhitching or uncoupling and disconnecting the `tractor from the vehicle or farm implement when desired.

Another object is to automatically lock the coupling in the connected or hitched position Aof the tractor and a farm implement, machine or vehicle, such as a wagon, trailer or the like, to prevent accidental separation or unhitching thereof especially when turning or from uneven surfaces, roads or terrain or hilly country.

A still further object is -to provide a novel cou- Dling of the character stated which will cause the tongue to rise to normal horizontal operative position with the coupling of the tractor -to a vehicle or implement tongue, and which includes a fork to guide a sloping coupling bar on the tongue in-to a cooperating receiving and retaining coupling hook of the coupling member on the tractor draft bar lor hitch and to elevate the bar and tongue of the vehicle or implement to which the bar is applied, attached and mounted, and to cause the bar and a harpoon head or dovetailed wedge at the front thereof to engage behind and close a hook from a V-sh-aped fork or entering and guiding end including a portion of the hook, which latter is automatically closed and held by a spring loaded pin to drop froma lifted raised position and hold thepivoted hook against releasing movement in a locked coupled or closed position behind the hook, while at the same time raising a flap which engages infront of the wedge upon moving the tractor forward and drops beneath the wedge to lock the bar and tongue in a raised substantially horizontal no1'- mal position for use in moving the vehicle or implement forward 4pulled by the tractor, it being simply necessary to lift the pin from engaged position to release or pull out the bar and tongue upon advancing or pulling on the tractor or the tongue and bar When the tongue may fall or drop on a skid connected with the bar to and beneath the tongue to support and keep the tongue from sticking in the ground when falling and again in position to be coupled to the tractor as explained. Another object is to provide a coupling device or hitch which can Abe economically produced and applied to Ithe tractor and tongue, and which is simple of construction, efficient land rpositive in operation and safe, since it may be automatically engaged and locked and will not pull loose.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be presently apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying draw-A ings and particularly claimed. 4

In the drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing the coupling in closed position for connectinga tractor hitch and a vehicle or implement tongue in a raised horizontal draft position; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the coupling part which is attached to and carried by the tractor in horizontal, rearwardly extending, operative position for use in coupling to a tongue; and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the tongue with its coupling bar and supporting skid dropped to the ground when disconnected or uncoupled from the tractor part.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the coupling or hitch device includes and comprises a part or member attachable to the draft bar or hitch of a tractor, represented as a transverse draw bar B supported horizontally at the rear of a tractor frame or chassis adjacent the drive wheels thereof and provided with a central vertical hole H to which the coupling part C is attached. The coupling part C comprises a fiat oblong bottom plate I0 having a rectangular notch I I formed in its trailing end extending for approximately one-half the length of the plate, the longitudinal axis of said notch being to one side of the longitudinal axis of theplate. The leading` end of said bar II is adapted to rest on the bar B and has a hole l2 aligned with and over hole H in said bar. An intermediate irregularly shaped plate I3 having a `short rectangular front portion, which may be narrower than plate I0 and with a similar hole I4, rests on plate I9 and supports a top plate i5 of the same width as the front portion of plate I3, longer than the same and shorter than plate I Il), thereon at its front end with its rear end projecting beyond plate I 3` .partly over and in spaced parallel relation to the top of plate I0 in overhanging position. Plate I5 hasV a similar hole `I6 and a bolt I1 extends through the holes to securely connect the plates and pivotally attach `the same and element C to bar B for lateral tudinal center, and the intermediate part or spacer I3 terminating short or about midway of the length of part I5, out out or recessed horizontally and transversely at the rear as at R.

Plate I3 is provided with a forward and lateral guide extension I8 Vof the shape of an oblique parallelogram, formed at the rear edge and corner at one side and projecting outwardly and rearf wardly thereof and partially overlying plate I The'rear end or edge of extension I8,Y

of the adjacent edge of slot n while the nook 2l extends to a point adjacent the opposite edge of slot 4II `and aligned inner edge of extension' I8.

The rear edge or end 24 of hook vplate Ecconverges vor 'slopes inthe opposite direction from edge I9 to form a V-shaped fork or entering mouth rearwardly of plate I6 beyond which parts I3 and 23 extend. The opposite or .front end of hook plate 20 overlies slot II at the front and extends transversely inwardly normal thereto and slot II, and the rear and side edges 26 and 2 of hook plate 20 converge forwardly toward each other at an acute angle to a point to permit this end to clear the adjacent edges of recess -R at the rear end of plate I3 and inner edge of lateral extension I8.

j A spring loaded or biased pin 28 with a biasing spring 29 .in a casing 3B with a removable cap and carried by plate I engages aligned apertures in plates I'Il, I5 and v2i) to lock the :hook plate 2D in closed position as seen Vin Figure 2, when such is desired. Pin 28 has a stop collar or flange 3i to lprevent its complete withdrawal. from -the casing, and when pin 28 is pulled out of the holes in plates I3 and 26, the hook plate 26 is "free to pivot on pin 23. YA Tshaped hookV or plate 32 iixed toor formed on plate I5 or casing 30 with the leg or plate horizontal above theV clined wall of the locking plate opening hits the `head 32V as` shown in the dotted line position of Fig. 1.

The vehicle or implement tongue is designated Vat 35 and an angular forwardlyrsloping or, in-

clined coupling bar 36 is mounted on tongue 35 Vby means of a longr vertical rear leg 31 at baseplate 38 bolted in position. A clevis or yoke comprising top and'bottom angular plates or bars `39 is Ybolted vertically through the tongue 35 as Yat 46 with a bearing collar or sleeve 4I held between said bars in any suitable way, as by riveting, Ywelding or the like. Bar 36 inclines forwardly at a sharp angle of about 45 or othert Wise, and whereas leg 31 depends at an acute angle from the upper bent endthereof, the short vertical front leg 42 depends at an obtuse angle to extend through collar or sleeve 4I and is held by nuts 43 threaded on the leg 4`2 against Y lthe top and bottom plates 33 of the clevis or yoke to fix the bar 36 in position. Thebar 36 adjacent the bend at leg 42 is formed with a downwardly enlarged wedge shaped head 44 formed by tapered top and bottom lugs or anges indicated at 45 and 46, the lug 45 producing a downwardly facing stopV shoulder 4T to hold iiap V 33 down and support the bar 36 and tongue 35 in conjunction with thel flange 46 which rests on hook plate 20. A skid 48 preferably curvilinear and convex at the bottom is fastened to the tongue and bar 36 at the bottom, such as by having the upwardly curved front end of the skid Vbar or runner extended or bent rearwardly and inwardly 'as at 49 and apertured -to receive the lower end of leg 42 between lower plate 39 and nut 43 to clamp the same, while the rear end 5i! of skid 4'8 extends horizontally and is bolted to and through the tongue as at 5I. The skid supports the tongue in a slightly elevated position from the ground.

In operation and use of the coupling device,

the coupling part or element C is vattached to aV tractor at bar B by bolt Il to turngbut preferably is held rigid by tightening the nut Von the bolt. The coupling ,'bar 36 and skid 48'are attached to the tongue 35 of a wagon, trailer, implement or machine. With the tractor and `tongue properly related, the tractor is backed tothe tongue, allowing `or causing the `bar V36 at its inclined position to enter the V-shaped forkat I3 and 24 with pin 23 lifted and hook plate 20 free to swing outa distance in an arc substantially equal to the width of slot I I `and recess 22. Y Thus the point'X ofthe hook 2I is allowed to assume any position between points K and K'. The hook 2| will open outwardly away from extension I8, allowing 'bar 36 toV enter further guided by converging edge guides I 9 and 24, into slot IIV where, Ydue to the sloping `design or incline of the bar 36 in engagement with ap or latchv 33,it will raise the latter, allowing the bar to enter still further in front of hook 2| at recess 22 in slot II to contact the rear end 25 of recess 22 in hook plate 26. This will cause l the hook plate 26 to close again placing the hook 2l adjacent the inside of extension I8 and Vcontiguous wall of slot II as seen in Figure 2. This willV line up the holes for the pin 28 in plates I0, I5 and 23, allowing the pin to drop into the same and lock the hook plate 2Il in the .closed position withrbar 36 in front of hook 2 I. Then, upon moving the tractor forward,V the de ad 'weight of the implement bearing the tongue will hold it in placeand bar 36 will slide, up through the hook plate 26 causing ther-tongue 35V to raise, and as this pull is Ycontinued the bar .36 continues to slide and rise at wedge v44 and the adjacent bend in bar 36, until flanges and 46 are above the hook Z6 and iiap or latch plate 32. 'The latter will Athen, drop by gravity beneath stop shoulder 4l on bottom of flange 45,

with thewide end of iiange 46 of wedge 44 above. hook plate 23 tosupport'and lock the'tongue-35 in a raised or velevated position ready for use. V"Il'oe bar 36 `and tongue 35 ,may pivot or swingen against the spring or from a remote point such as the tractor drivers seat with a connection to a hole in the top of the pin 28, allowing the hook plate 2i to swing out and open to release the bar 35 from bill 2| at recess 22 and pass out of same and slot Il. The tongue will fall on the skid d to keep the tongue from sticking in the ground when failing and in readiness to be again coupled to the tractor as described.

It will be noted that the elongated slot 22 in the hook plate 20 permits the sloping bar S6 to slide within the closed jaws and thus draw up the tongue as the tractor moves forward. Without this elongated slot the bar would bind and such raising would be impossible. However, to shorten this slot when the vertical leg [i2 of the tongue assembly is in place and prevent undesirable play and permit the stop shoulders to function the loop 33 is provided which automatically falls into place when the coupling operation is completed.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

l. In a coupling for a tractor attached drawbar and vehicle attached tongue. a bifurcated keeper on the drawbar having its legs directed rearwardly of said bar to form an elongated, openended slot, iiared guide means leading to the open end of said slot, a latch member attached to said keeper movable to open or close the end of said slot, an upstanding hitch frame on said tongue of such height that an upper portion thereof will enter said slot guide means when said tractor drawbar is backed against said hitch frame and while said tongue end is resting upon the ground, said frame having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion slidable in said elongated slot whereby when it is held therein by said latch member and said tractor is moved forwardly said tongue will be cammed upwardly into operating position.

2. A coupling as set forth in claim 1 having means on said upstanding frame for automatically locking said tongue and frame in elevated position.

3. A coupling as set forth in claim 1 further 50 having means for automatically shortening said elongated slot when said hitch frame is coupled therein and has reached operating position.

4. In an automatic coupling for a tractor attached drawbar and vehicle attached tongue, a bifurcated keeper on the drawbar having its legs directed rearwardly of said bar to form an elongated open-ended slot, flared guide means leading to the open end of said slot, a latch member attached to said keeper movable to open or close the end of said slot, an upstanding hitch frame on said tongue, said frame including a relatively short vertical leg adjacent the outer end of said tongue and an inclined portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from the top of said leg, said inclined portion engaging the keeper when the coupling parts are moved together and when said tongue rests upon the ground and then sliding in said elongated keeper slot as the tractor is moved forwardly to cam said tongue upwardly and guide said short vertical leg into said keeper.

5. A coupling as set forth in claim 1i wherein said vertical leg carries at least one outwardly and downwardly Haring lug defining a downwardly facing shoulder wherein when said inclined portion has been drawn through the slot to raise the tongue and seat said short vertical leg in said keeper said shoulder will form a stop means to prevent the tongue'from dropping if tension on the coupling should be released.

6. In a coupling for a tractor attached drawbar and vehicle attached tongue, a bifurcated keeper on the drawbar having its legs directed rearwardly of said bar to form an elongated, openended slot, a latch member attached to said keeper movable to open or close the end of said slot, a freely hinged flap member attached to the upper face of said keeper and normally overlying the forward end of said elongated slot, an upstanding hitch frame on said tongue, said frame including a relatively short vertical leg adjacent the outer end of said tongue and an inclined portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from the top of said leg, said freely hinged iiap member being pivotally displaced upwardly when said inclined member is drawn through the elongated keeper slot but automatically falling downwardly by force of gravity to shorten said slot when said short vertical leg has been drawn into operating position.

7. A coupling as set forth in claim d wherein said short vertical leg has adjacent its upper end a plurality of downwardly flaring lugs which define stop shoulders which engage said flap and keeper when said leg has been moved into operating position to prevent dropping of the tongue when tension on the coupling is relaxed.

8. A coupling as set forth in claim 6 wherein the hitch frame further includes a curvilinear skid at the bottom of the tongue to raise and hold said tongue in better position for automatic engagement of the coupling parts.

ROBERT E. HAWKINS. GLEN E. SPAULDING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 751,692 Semin Feb. 9, 1904 795,966 George Aug. 1, 1905 1,491,637 Schrurn Apr.. 22, 1924 2,464,424 Weldon et al. Mar. 15, 1949 

